Biographers are witnesses in print...

Biographers are witnesses in print. Eberhart Bethge thought so much of his good friend Dietrich Bonhoeffer that he wrote an over-1,000-page witness to the life of this Christian martyr at the hands of the Nazis. Robert A. Caro has written a three-volume biography titled The Years of Lyndon Johnson, chronicling LBJ's rise to power and his exercise of it as a U.S. senator and as the president of the United States. Even pop icons have their biographers.

Bonnie BatesBob OveBill ThomasFrank RamirezRon LoveMark Ellingsen

Isaiah 62:6-11This seems to be a change he looks forward to in Old Testament times. Isaiah is looking forward to the Lord’s coming. He is telling the people in that day to look forward to Jerusalem being restored, Jesus is the only one who can restore it.

Several future books in the Old Testament have restored watchmen to wait on the Lord’s coming. It sounds like we must spend all our time waiting for the day the Lord has promised. It sounds like we must give him no rest until we get it.

Mark Ellingsen

All the lessons testify to the theme of why Christmas matters! The festival encourages sermons on what Christ accomplishes in our lives and a joyful celebration of thanks for the best Christmas present of all -- the babe in the manger.

Mark EllingsenBob OveBonnie BatesBill ThomasFrank RamirezRon Love

Micah 5:2-5aBut you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah…(Micah 5:2).

Most towns have a slogan. We remember the clever ones.

I spent part of my childhood in the city of Azusa, California. The town was named after the Susa family, ranchers who owned much of the land during the days of Spanish colonization. But the town fathers decided they needed something a little more catchy, so they advertised that Azusa has everything from A to Z in the USA.

Frank Ramirez

“Current Events” can be very significant at the time they happen, but they can change and/or grow in significance as time goes by. Micah addresses a current political situation in his day that is pretty significant. Judah is under siege from Assyria. But the words of hope that he shares grow in significance over the centuries until hundreds of years later biblical experts are able to tell the Magi that Micah is telling us -- and is still telling us -- that the greatest king of kings will be coming from one of the smallest of the clans of Israel.

Cynthia E. Cowen

The Christmas concert was about to begin. The professional musicians were ready. All eyes were on the band director as he brought down his baton. Softly, flutes began weaving a magical introduction, capturing the audience's spirit. An instrumental duet formed with clarinets adding their voices. Then more wind instruments came in. Finally, brass and percussion entered and volume and tempo increased. Each section's contribution melded into a harmonious voice. The rehearsals had been worth it; the time and labor had not been in vain.

Paul E. Flesner

Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr once observed that the Christmas event can only be spoken about in poetry. He went on to comment that over the centuries preachers have analyzed it in their sermons and have turned Christmas into dogma. "Dogma," he said, "is rationally petrified poetry." I think I understand what he means. He means that Christmas speaks to the heart.